12 Traits You Never See In Successful People

If you had been studying and reading about other successful people as long as I have, you would eventually pick up a few patterns between them. There usually are traits or behaviors that separate people that are destined to be successful vs others.

It may have to do with how you deal with others, manage your time, look at problems, etc. Am I saying that you have to have these traits to be successful? No.

You can always work on yourself and become a better in certain areas over time. But, first you must be aware of what behaviors or traits you really need to avoid to reach your most ambitious goals.

This way, you know what to work on if they apply to you.

12 Traits You Never See In Successful People

1. The tendency to panic

“Fear cannot be banished, but it can be calm and without panic; it can be mitigated by reason and evaluation.”

– Vannevar Bush

You have to be cool, calm and collected under pressure to really make it as an entrepreneur or to be successful in just about anything in life. You cannot panic and freak out at the first sign of trouble.

You will always hit rough patches. You will always have bumps in the road. There will always be challenges to overcome. This is just a fact of life and they are there to make you stronger.

2. Being selfish

“A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good, but for neglecting his neighbor's.”

– Richard Whately

Even if you actually think the world revolves around you, I have news for you…it doesn't. Your family has needs. Your employees have needs. They're all people like you just trying to do their best.

If you show that you care and actually put in some effort to understand the needs of the people around you, they will appreciate you and be a lot more loyal.

3. Being thin-skinned

“You have to grow thick skin and that only comes with time and learning.”

– Karlie Kloss

If you haven't had any kind of insults or criticism come your way yet, you probably haven't accomplished much. People will love you. People will hate you. Some will just be jealous. Some will just not understand your approach.

It doesn't matter. You need to be able to take a hit. You need to be thick-skinned. If you let people get to you or offend you easily, you better start working on overcoming that. The road to success is brutal, so you might not make it otherwise.

Related: How To Think Like A Billionaire And Make History

4. Expecting Instant Results

“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.”

– Zig Ziglar

If you expect to get rich quick, take a shortcut to the top, etc., all I can say is good luck. You need to be able to adapt and overcome obstacles almost on a daily basis to be successful.

You may think you can read something in a book and know exactly how to succeed in no time. You may think you can come up with a plan and it will work perfectly from day 1.

Trust me, it won't. You better be prepared to stick with it for the long haul without without quitting. Your experience is how you will learn to become successful over time.

5. Being lazy

“A lazy man works twice as hard. My mother told that ot me, and now I say it to my kids. If you're writing an essay, keep it in the lines and in the margins, so you don't have to do it over.”

– Gary Oldman

You will have to work hard to achieve anything. Success is a habit. It's a habit that must be performed day-in and day-out to work. You have to have a plan and execute it. You can't just think yourself to success.

Don't expect anything to be given to you. Don't expect to be lucky and hit the jackpot. You have to be disciplined, responsible, driven and focused.

6. Not living in the present

“Why should you live in the past when the present already has everything that you need to start a new beginning?”

– Edmond Mbiaka

If you dwell in the past, you won't make it. If you keep looking into the future and aren't doing anything now to make it a reality, you won't make it. The past can teach us a lot through valuable experience. The future can be bright and full of anticipation.

But, you have to keep looking ahead and doing the work now to get the result you want. Otherwise, nothing will get done at all and you'll in the same exact place 20 years from now with nothing to show for it.

That's not what you want, is it?

7. Not being realistic

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.”

– John F. Kennedy

Successful people don't live in a fantasy world. They know their numbers. They know what to expect and they know the risk. They understand what the best-case-scenario and the worst-case-scenario is and are prepared for either one.

I've known people that come up with ideas without thinking them through that end up screwing them over. Be realistic or you will make bad decisions and deal with nothing but consequences.

8. Being too naive

“Because I grew up with this naive expectation of people doing right, I get shocked by every little violation.”

– Dave Eggers

Don't just believe everything people tell you. Don't believe everything you read. Don't assume everything will work out according to plan.

It will serve you much better to question everything, learn the facts and be skeptical before making your own conclusions.

9. Letting your emotions get the best of you as well as others

“When you need to make a decision, don't let your emotions vote.”

– Joyce Meyer

If you're pissed off, don't take it out on your employees. If you're depressed, don't make everyone else feel the same way. This is a good way to get fired or run your business into the ground.

Learn to deal with your feelings and don't let things get unprofessional.

Related: 50 Things Productive People Do Differently To Be Successful

10. Not prioritizing knowledge and learning

“The difference between where you are today and where you'll be five years from now will be found in the quality of books you've read.”

– Jim Rohn

If you stop learning, you won't stay sharp. You won't be a step ahead. You will be leaving money on the table and opportunities untouched. Knowledge is power and is the most important weapon in your arsenal.

Notice how successful people are always reading and recommending books or biographies they've seen on other accomplished people. Successful people are always learning and never stop improving.

11. Not respecting time

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.”

– William Penn

You only have so much time in this life. You can't buy more of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. Therefore, time must be respected.

You need to learn how to manage your time and not waste it. Be efficient, but don't multitask. Stay focused and don't waste time on things that aren't important.

12. Making the same mistake twice

“You can never make the same mistake twice. The second time you make it, it's no longer a mistake, it's a choice.”

– Steven Denn

Don't beat yourself up because you made a bad decision. We all do it and there is no way to prevent it every time. But, that being said, you must use mistakes as a lesson.

You must remember these lessons and use them to avoid making the same mistakes again in the future. Otherwise, it could prove more costly the second time around and prevent your from progressing to the next level.

Conclusion

Success leaves clues, my friend. Notice how successful people compose themselves, make decisions, deal with people, etc., and try to apply that in your own life. I guarantee you will see a positive impact over time.

What do you think is the most important trait of successful people?